Galvanic corrosion of orthodontic wires brazed with silver solder

Abstract

Orthodontic wires made of stainless steel or cobalt-chromium alloy are often brazed with silver solder in orthodontic appliances. Galvanic corrosion between the orthodontic wires and silver solder was examined on the basis of released ions and electrochemical behavior. In the static immersion test in 0.9% NaCl solution, the amounts of ions released from both wires brazed with silver solder tended to increase when the surface area of the silver solder on the wires increased. Especially, this condition obviously increased that of Ni ions, which were rarely released from the non-soldered stainless wires.